Explosive projectile



Feb. 25, 1941-. Y. SEKELLA EXPLOSIVEVPROJECTILE File'd Feb. 5, 1959 1 bill INVENTOR.

BY I 57 A TTORN EY.

Patented F eb. 25, 1941 EXPLOSIVE raoJEc'rmE Youston Sekella, Elmira Heights, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application February 3, 1939, Serial No. 254,452

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to explosive projectiles and more particularly to a rifle projectile having a mechanical time fuse.

In explosive projectiles having mechanical timing means for causing detonation thereof, it is customary to use a percussion cap to set off a detonating charge, which in turn explodes the main charge of the shell. The percussion cap is commonly located adjacent the mechanical fuse by which it is controlled, and the detonating charge contained in a bag of textile material such as silk, is placed in a chamber intermediate the percussion cap and the main charge. The chamber for the detonating charge is ordinarily in the form of an annular channel in which the bag of detonating powder is loosely contained.

It has been found in the use of such projectiles that there is a tendency for centrifugal 53 force from the rotation of the shell to segregate the detonating powder in a portion of the chamber which may not be adjacent the percussion cap at the time of the explosion thereof, It is thus possible that there may be no detonating powder directly under the percussion cap at that time, and the flame therefrom may have to travel an appreciable distance before reaching the powder. In such cases the powder may not ignite so that. the shell fails to explode.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel explosive projectile in which the detonating powder is positively located so' that a portion thereof isdirectly under the percussion cap.

It is another object to provide such a device connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a shell and fuse embodying a preferred form of the invention, the section being taken sub 5 stantially on the line 'l-l of Fig. 2;

(Cl. 102-Z 6) other form of retaining clips for the powder bag.-

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated a shell or casing., I containing a main charge 2 of explosive or other mixture to be detonated. A fuse body 3 is rigidly mounted in the upper end of the shell 15 I as by means of a threaded connection 4. A timing mechanism indicated generally by numeral 5 is mounted in a cup-shaped opening 6 s in the fuse body 3 and ,is clamped against the bottom I of said cup by means of bolts 8, 9 and ll (Fig. 2) which pass through the bottom of the cup and have heads l2, l3 and [4 extending into an annular channel l5 formed in the bottom of the fuse body 3.

A percussion cap I6 is mounted in the bottom 1 of the cup in the fuse body 3 by means of a thimble l1 threaded in a passage l8 through the bottom of the cup, and a firing pin I9 is arranged to strike and explode the percussion cap under the impulse ofa spring 2| when released by the mechanical timing means 5 in any suitable manner, not illustrated.

According to thepresent invention, a container 22 of detonating powder 23 is mounted in the annular chamber I5 and is confined in the annular chamber to a position under the percussion cap It by means of the heads l2 and i3 of bolts 8 and 9, which heads areso formed as to substantially prevent endwise movement of the bag 22 in the channel. I 40 As shown in Fig. 3, when enlarger container of detonating powder is used, a bolt 8' may be used having 'a thin fiat head which may be countersunk in its seat, thus allowing passage of the container 22' of detonating powder, which container is accordingly confined in the channel l5 by the heads l3 and ll of bolts 9 and II.

As here shown, clips 24 and 25 may be used to completely'close the channel and con-fine -the powder bag 22! more closely.

In Fig. 4, the use of a single clip member 26 is shown to confine the powder bag 22, the ends 21 and 28 of the clip serving to close the channel l5 and being in abutting .relation with the heads I! and I3 of bolts 8' and 9',

of U-shape anchored on the heads 13' and ll of bolts 9"and H' to confine the bag 22' of detonating powder.

' tional and centrifugal forces to be A cap plate 32 is mounted in the bottom of the fuse body 3 in any suitable manner as by means of threads 33 so as to close the annular chamber l5. Cap 32 is provided with passages 34 therethrough, which passages are closed by a diaphragm 35 of suitable frangible material such as Bakelite which will permit the flame from the detonating powder 23 sages 34 and ignite the main charge 2 of the shell.

In the operation of the device with the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. l, discharge of the shell from a rifle causes heavy acceleraapplied to all parts of the shell and its contents. The bag of detonating powder 23 thus hasa tendency to slide around in the channel I5 away from its position under the percussion cap it. Due, however, to any v trated, the bag is prevented from such motion, and when the firing pin is is released by the timing mechanism 5, the explosion of the percussion cap l6 ignites the portion of the detonating powder immediately adjacent thereto whereby the flame from the detonating powder traverses the passages 34 in the cap 32, penetrating the diaphragm 35 and igniting the main charge 2 of the shell.

Although certain embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto., What is claimed is:

1. In an explosive projectile for rifles, a shell to emerge from the pas-.

of the various holding'means illusfor firing said cap, bolts traversing other -of' said openings for body, a mechanical time fuse mounted therein including'a percussion cap, a firing pin therefor. a clockwork controlling the release of the firing pin, said fuse having an annular channel, a container of detonating in the channel, and bolts for anchoring the clockwork in the fuse, said bolts having heads projecting into the channel to obstruct the channel and confine the container of detonating explosive from rotary movement therein. A

2. In an explosive projectile for rifles, a shell body, a mechanical time fuse mounted therein including a fuse body comprising a cup-shaped receptacle with an annular channel formed in the bottom and apertures th'rgegh the bottom connecting the interior 'of the r ptacle with the channel, a percussion cap in o e of said apertures, a clockwork in the receptacle, bolts traversing other of said apertures, serving to. anchor the clockwork to the bottom of the receptacle, and a container of 'detonating explosive in the channel, said bolts having heads extending into and obstructing the channel to confine the containe'r of detonating explosive therein to a position adjacent the percussion cap.

3. A mechanical time fuse for an explosive projectile subject to high rotational acceleration including a body having a cup-shaped socket. the bottom of which is formed by a flat partition having a circular channel formed therein and openings connecting the channel to the interior Y of the socket, clockwork mounted in the socket,

one of said openm' s. a p controlled by the clockwork,

a percussion cap in anchoring theclockwork in the socket, and a bag of explosive in the channel, said bolts having heads extending into and obstructing the channel to form abutments confining the bag of explosive to a position adjacent the percussion cap. YOUSTON SEKELLA.

explosive loosely mounted 5 

